Crossharbour Montessori Day Nursery

Crossharbour Montessori Day Nursery 126 East Ferry Road, LONDON, E14 9FP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/01/2013 31/03/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 1 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Staff keep children protected from harm by ensuring that all areas, resources and equipment used by the children are safe.  Children behave well because staff manage their behaviour by using positive methods, such as praise to encourage good behaviour.  Children have opportunities to explore and investigate using a range of everyday objects and natural play materials.  There are ongoing opportunities for children to enjoy energetic play outside. This includes trips to the park, to promote children's good health and to increase their enjoyment.  The indoor and outdoor learning environments are spacious and set up each day providing active, child-initiated play and learning opportunities that engage the children.

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It is not yet good because

 Systems to promote children's sense of security and well-being, for those who are settling in are not consistent.  There are some inconsistencies in staff practice that result in them not always acting on information provided by parents about their children's needs.  Self-evaluation does not fully include the views of parents and children in identifying areas for development.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the children during play, the interaction between staff and children in all group rooms and in the outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the routine and practice and discussed the organisation and management of the service with the provider.  The inspector discussed risk assessment with the staff and inspected the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled records and documentation relating to children's progress and development, safeguarding, self-evaluation and communications with parents.  The inspector carried out a joint observation in the baby room with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Crossharbour Montessori Day Nursery is one of five nurseries run by a private provider. It opened in 2010 and operates from three floors in a purpose-built building. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is situated in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6.30pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are currently 111 children on roll in the early years age group. The setting is in receipt of funding for early education. There are 33 members of staff, 28 of whom, hold early years qualifications to level 3. Two members of staff have an early years degree with Early Years Professional Status, one has an early years foundation degree and two have a Montessori diploma. A cook and receptionist are also employed at the setting. The setting operates in line with the Montessori educational philosophy.

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must:

 implement appropriate arrangements for staff supervision and appraisals, in order to identify and address any inconsistencies in practice and promote a shared approach to continuous improvement  build on the system for acting on the information provided by parents to support and contribute to children's settling in and to extend their child's learning and development.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 develop systems for self-evaluation by including the views of children and parents in identifying strengths and areas for future development.

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who attend

Children enjoy the opportunity they have for free play exploring throughout the day between the group rooms and the outdoor play area. The environment is set out for children to be able to help themselves to a wide range of play materials. Children move between role-play, building with construction toys and the arts area. They have obvious friendships with each other and enjoy being together. Staff are on hand to support children's play and to help children to share and take turns so that playing together is enjoyable. However, in the baby room staff are not always consistent at supporting young children's emotional needs. This leaves some children unsettled at times, particularly those who are new to the nursery.

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who attend

Staff observe and record children's development and achievements and record these alongside samples of their work and photographs. Planning and assessment have been developed to ensure that children's starting points are noted. This system is used to track that all areas of children's development are monitored and their next steps in learning identified. This generally ensures children are making progress across all areas of learning. Planning includes what resources are set out each day to encourage different aspects of children's learning and to consider if they reflect the individual interests and development of each child. The nursery successfully combines the Montessori philosophy with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to cover all areas of learning in sufficient depth to motivate and challenge children. As a result, children make satisfactory progress towards the early learning goals, which supports them well in making the

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who attend

Children are provided with interesting sensory experiences. They play independently with sand, water, discovery boxes and they enjoy painting and investigating the texture of playdough and foam with colour and texture added. Staff support children when playing with creative materials so that those who are reluctant are gently encouraged to try by staff modelling what fun they can have. This encourages others to join in.

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who attend

Children are gaining many new words as they play and as staff talk to them throughout the day. They are learning to value books through the lively story sessions staff lead. Children sit together in the cosy book area and join in with familiar stories. They listen well and enjoy asking and answering questions about the story read to them. Children confidently identify the fruits and animals in their favourite story. They also enjoy looking at books independently. They turn the pages confidently and talk about what they see. Some staff use sign language when singing with children to support their understanding and communication. Such strategies enable all children to take part and understand the routines, including children with emerging language skills.

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who attend

Children have good opportunities to develop their imagination, dressing up with a range of equipment in the home corner to support their learning and enjoyment. Younger children learn about simple shapes and colours, through active learning using shape sorting equipment and jigsaws, developing their skills. Older children are eager to talk to the adults who are attentive to their needs. They enjoy stories, listen intently and predict what might happen next. They name letters and can put them together to form simple words in games, developing their understanding of language and the written word. Children's key persons learn some key words in children's home language that are provided by parents. The outside play area is open for free play throughout the day. Children have enjoyable times for exercise and fresh air. They can freely choose to move between the group rooms and outdoor areas. They run, climb and play with wheeled toys and balls. Some children

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who attend

enjoy digging in the sand and scooping and pouring water in the water tray with interesting funnels added. Children develop a good understanding of mathematical concepts as they learn to count, recognise shapes and explore size and volume.

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who attend

During focused group work, children learn successfully about the wider world. The range of play materials, books and displays reflect children's different cultures and promote positive attitudes to gender roles and disability. They celebrate together and learn about the traditions of their friends. Parents are happy to contribute coming in to demonstrate their cultural traditions with the children. Children become very confident under the guidance of the Montessori teacher. They welcome visitors to the nursery and are willing to demonstrate how they use the Montessori equipment with expertise. They talk about the planets, weather and monitor the seasons. They confidently use the equipment that supports their practical life skills and understanding of the natural world.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The Montessori teacher knows the children and families that she is working with well. She has a secure knowledge of how the Montessori approach links with the Early Years Foundation Stage, which enables her to help children to make suitable progress overall. Older children enjoy friendly relationships with their key persons. They seek out familiar adults for their favourite stories, settling on the big comfy cushions in the book area, secure in their company. The nursery is attractively set out before children arrive. The group room for babies and toddlers is divided for different age groups. There is a cosy baby play area for non-mobile babies. There is a workshop area for children to enjoy art and messy play activities and lots of low level storage that children enjoy choosing play materials from. This encourages children's independence. The outdoor play area is equally well set out with a good variety of different play activities. Children play, eat and rest in

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

comfort as the resources for these activities are in good condition and just right for the age of the children cared for.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff in the baby group room have generally effective systems for supporting children's emotional well-being during the settling-in period. Children who have been attending for some time are secure and settled with key persons. Parents are contacted if staff have concerns about their child's health or well-being. However, systems to promote children's emotional security for those who attend occasionally or are new and settling in are not consistent. Staff are provided with up-to-date information from parents about children's individual needs. However, at times such as during the preparation for lunch children have to wait seated at tables for extended periods. During this time staff change nappies and other staff prepare the room for lunch. Noise levels in the room are high and there is a lot of disruption as adults come and go. This is sometimes unsettling for babies especially those struggling to settle. Staff are not always aware of the information provided by

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

parents that describes exactly what children are not comfortable with. When children become upset they are not given enough reassurance and appropriate acknowledgment of what they might be feeling when separated from their parents. Staff are not consistently sensitive to individual children's needs, particularly those who need their special comforters, don't like loud noises or need to be within sight or reach as they sleep after lunch. This means at times, babies find it difficult to settle.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff manage children's behaviour appropriately. Staff share an effective behaviour management procedure with parents. Children receive regular praise and encouragement, which supports their good behaviour. In addition, through self-evaluation the manager has identified that a range of training including behaviour management will continue to improve practice. Older children have plenty of opportunities to play and eat lunch in whole groups together where they gain useful social skills and develop confidence in group situations. Children have appropriate opportunities to develop independence skills as they happily make choices from the range of play materials.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles. They enjoy a good range of fresh fruits and sandwiches for snacks and cooked meals at lunchtime. They enjoy a large outdoor space and regular trips to the park. They develop useful physical skills appropriate to their age and stage of development. The provider has identified the outdoor play space as an area for improvement. Children are developing an awareness of their own personal safety. They understand how to behave in an emergency and are skilled at negotiating the stairs in the building. The staff practise the emergency evacuation procedure regularly with the children so they are familiar with what to do.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are provided with a good range of toys and equipment in a welcoming environment. Toddlers and older children have suitable equipment to sit, sleep, and eat comfortably. Arrangements for changing nappies are hygienic and followed by all staff. Equipment for the youngest children to sit and sleep safely and comfortably is available, such as a rocking chair to support a child who is comforted by being rocked to sleep. In addition, there are good opportunities for children to explore natural materials and resources to improve the quality of their sensory play.

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provision

The provider and senior staff understand their roles and responsibilities in delivering the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Safeguarding is well embedded in practice and staff are confident in their knowledge of what action to take if they have a child protection concern. Comprehensive policies and other useful information are posted on notice boards around the building and procedures are shared with parents. Parents are reassured about their children's welfare and well-being as effective systems for staff recruitment and selection are in place. All staff complete the required Criminal Record Bureau checks to confirm their suitability and all staff hold suitable qualifications. High staff to child ratios are organised to make sure that children are supervised effectively.

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provision

An overall risk assessment is in place with designated member of staff taking responsibility that the areas children use are checked for safety and details are recorded at intervals during the day. Cameras show staff who is at the front door and no one can access the areas children use unless staff admit them. All visitors have to sign in and out. Staff are aware of who is allowed to collect children and children's attendance is carefully recorded. These procedures promote children's safety.

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provision

The provider carries out some monitoring of staff practice and its impact on children's progress. However, this does not clearly identify some aspects of inconsistency in practice particularly in the baby room. Consequently, this is not sufficiently focused to inform and identify appropriate action or training to bring about continuous improvement. Although the manager is aware of the setting's strengths, self-evaluation is not yet a rigorous process. Furthermore, the views of parents and children are not fully considered in the process.

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provision

Parents are well informed about the nursery. The parent notice boards and newsletters include what children might learn, safety issues regarding the collection of children, and the steps taken to prevent the spread of infections. A poster gives information about how to complain. Parents are able to spend as much time as they feel is necessary at the nursery, working together with the key person to settle their child. However, although parents give key persons detailed information about their child's individual needs, this is not always used effectively to help children settle in. Parents are shown profile books that describe their children's achievements. Each day a diary is completed for parents so that they are informed about their child's daily care.

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provision

The manager has a good awareness of her responsibility for working in partnership with other services and agencies to support children's development. Staff have started to complete written assessments for the two year assessment process. The nursery has recently been awarded Montessori accreditation and the manager is enthusiastic about taking part in a quality assurance scheme. This demonstrates a commitment to continuous development and working in partnership in order to ensure improvement takes place to enhance children's enjoyment and achievement.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY412586 Local authority Tower Hamlets Inspection number 900313

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 140 Number of children on roll 111 Name of provider Headstart Limited Date of previous inspection 31/03/2011 Telephone number 0207 515 4843

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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